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James Donaldson on Mental Health – Many Suicides Are Not Impulsive
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Studies don’t tell the whole story of whether most suicides are impulsive or planned
Key points
Studies that rely on self-reports can be unreliable.
Studies that fail to delve into past behavior miss key information.
Suicides in literature are not an accurate model.
In 2001, researchers at the University of Houston studied 153 people who survived a suicide attempt. They found that 87 percent of these individuals thought about suicide for fewer than eight hours before acting. For 70 percent, their suicide attempt occurred within one hour of making the decision. Even more astonishing, 24 percent said that they attempted suicide within five minutes of deciding to kill themselves.[1] In other words, the interval between the time when they thought about suicide and subsequently acted on it was only an hour for most members of the group, and for one out of four people almost no time elapsed between the impulse to kill themselves and the attempt.
Researchers in Australia interviewed people in an emergency room shortly after they had been admitted following a suicide attempt, and reached a similar conclusion. Half the people said that they thought about killing themselves for no more than 10 minutes before acting, and another 16 percent said that the time period was under 30 minutes.[2]
Studies like these lend credence to the belief that suicide is impulsive, but they have flaws. First, they are based on self-reports, which often are unreliable. If a person’s judgment is impaired because of a mental disorder, alcohol, drugs, intense psychological pain, or even a lack of sleep, being able to describe accurately what he or she was thinking or feeling in the moment isn’t always possible. In the Australian study, 29 percent of participants said that they had been drinking at the time of their attempt, and nearly everyone in this subgroup—93 percent—reported a maximum of 10 minutes between the time that they thought about killing themselves and the time that they acted on it.
Second, researchers didn’t delve into participants’ pasts to find out if they had contemplated suicide before. An attempt that might have seemed like a spur-of-the moment decision could have been the result of days, weeks, months, or even years of suicidal ideation and tentative planning.
In literature there are numerous instances of fictional characters who kill themselves in an impetuous manner, with Anna Karenina throwing herself under the wheels of a train being the prime example. As Thomas Joiner and other suicide researchers have pointed out, however, Tolstoy, Shakespeare, and other writers use impulsivity for narrative effect in describing suicides, but that doesn’t make literary suicides an accurate model.
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
“This is simply not how it works in the real world,” Joiner says, “else there would be millions more suicides per year as people glance at knives and trains and the like.”[3]
For some people—mainly adolescents—suicide can be impulsive,[4] but most individuals plan their deaths. They procure the means, decide on a date and location, then put their plan into action.
“The idea that suicidal acts come out of the blue undermines the attempts to study, assess, treat, and prevent them,” Joiner says. “Suicide is tractable, and we owe it to the memories of those who have died already and to those who are at risk in the future to make it more so.”[5]
If you or someone you love is contemplating suicide, seek help immediately. For help 24/7 dial 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
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James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at [email protected] and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
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